Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-05-04

ing and in producing iron before the disas-
tiers of war arrested the latter at that point,
(fcr he continued it lower down on James
river,) employing large forces of labor and
skilled men, having transportation by
tram railroads, water, and his scores of
teams, the scene in forests and on the farms
and at the furnace and it's surroundings
was one which all the inhabitants of that
region have often desired to see again
His strong, original mind and practical
views with unbending energy made him the
chief iron-master of the Valley, and now
the opportunities offered by the Shenan-
doah Valley and the Richmond and Ale
ghsny railroads.&c. latter also near to the
mining beds at Green Forest and Harris
Bottom - present inducements scarcely
dreamed Of by him as available even in the
distant future. If he amassed with a small
charcoal furnace, under the difficulties of
his times as compared with the present ep
portunities for progress, an ample fortune
by opening at only one spot those vast
beds of ore, what an incalculable field for
enterprise is there in developing and work.
ing them in their extent of ten miles in
length with railroad transportation passing
over them. He had only the markets of
|Lynchburg and Richmond. His successors,
when they shall come to work the same
resources, will find the whole country open
to their enterprises. Apart from the min
eral and immense lumber-resources on the
Buena Vista estate, it has in open and
forest lands, adapted to high grades of Gull
ture, a suficiency of area to make from ten
to fifteen good sized farms. The central
site where the furnaces referred to have
operated, is beautiful location, and has a
superior water-power, as it commands the
entire stream of the South river. A superb
brick residence Of gothic architecture,
crowns an eminence overlooking the old
seat of the industries, both as the furnaces
were operated and the long wide low
grounds were titled, as was the custom OF
the old iren-masters of Virginia who raised
! the chief of their supplies under their own
good management. Nature has adorned
the location with grand beauties. There
the collection of the little streams from the
table lands and hills of the west plunge
down in cataracts, i'll spray and foam, Civ
| ing to the view from the mansion the per-
petual grandeur of high picturesque water
fall. which is embowered in the living ever.
greens of our mountain arbsrUit9.
| Higher up the South river Valley and
Immediately on the line of the Shenandoah
Valley railroad are the well known iron
properties of ssVesuvius" and "Cotopaxi.' -
There, too, was the old Moore furnace
first works of the Buena Vista. Inter.
mediate are the deposits at and near Md.
vale where mining for manganese has re.
Gently commenced, and the Grocer furnace
at Roanoke is receiving supply of iron.
ore in daily shipments by the railroad.
The Baltimore Manu- dcturers' Record and
Lexington Gazette have intelligence that a
Northern Company has probably purchased
the Buena Vista estate, and will commence
work by building a furnace at Greer
Forest. We sincerely hope it is true, bu;
our information does not warrant that con
clusion at present, though Mr.. Thos. E
McCorkle, Attorney and Land Agent a
Lexington, is actively at work for it's &C
complishment, and has received a good
share Of encouragement. But whether dis
posed of now or not, with the present out
look it cannot be long before such vas
resources so favorably located will be
called into requisition. Then the Shenan
doah Valley railroad will begin to realize fol
itself, and, placing on high plane the
local interests on its route, occupy posi-
ton worthy of the distinction it has beer
the chief instrument in securing to Vir
ginia in more real investments and solG
enterprises than ever before frightened the
history of the grand Old Commonwealth.